Sunday, October 2, 2011

Distance

According to my calculations, there are 14 chocolate-covered almonds remaining in the box. Two more weeks until Bridgette's arrival. This has been the longest stretch of time we've been apart, and it's made me think of other couples I know. Some have managed to survive a multi-year hiatus from the relationship altogether. Some went several months working through a long distance connection. And there are some who've never been separated longer than a weekend.

Distance is no fun, but it does help remind us couples why we put up with each other. I've been asked several times over the past 5 weeks, "are you lonely?" My answer has always been, "No, not really. But I miss my better half immensely." Life feels weirdly lopsided without her.

I cannot complain. We're incredibly fortunate to have this opportunity to live in Europe and to be able to do it in a comfortable way. (We're not exactly hitchhiking or living out of a car.) My thoughts go out to my coupled friends affected by jobs, family health problems, this sluggish economy, our incessant wars, or any of the uncontrollable chasms that force their way into a relationship.